POLITICS
ELIZABETH JONES: “EURASIAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SERVE US NATIONAL INTERESTS”
Noting the use of assistance in the former soviet republics, including Azerbaijan, the Deputy Secretary of State, underlined the fact of active support by the 24 Eurasian countries of the Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo operations, and participation of some countries in the peacemaking forces.
To ensure the US foreign policy interests, Ms. Elizabeth Jones stressed the necessity of directing the programs in four major spheres: education and training of the local military forces, formation of democratic processes and civil society, increase working places by establishing entrepreneur strata and prevention of drug circulation, man trade, AIDS and other trans-national threats.
Speaking at the foreign relations committee of Senate, the USIA Administrative deputy for the region Kent Hill reminded that after the 11 September events, significance of the Caucasus and Central Asia for the US has been notable increased. At his words, existence of colossal oil and gas reserves in this region raises this importance much more. Only volume of the oil reserves in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are a little lower that that of US reserves. Mr. Kent Hill also stressed the existence of unsolved conflicts and international terror jeopardy in the region.
Chairing was at the foreign relations committee hearings, the pro-Armenian senator, representative of the state of Virginia George Allen, who expressed to the governmental officials his dissatisfaction with increase of military assistance to Azerbaijan in comparison with Armenia. At his words, keeping balance in military assistance threats achievement in the negotiations carried out between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Government’s request from the Congress to grant for Azerbaijan $8,75 million, while for Armenia - $2,75 million in 2005 fiscal year, may be assessed as a biased position of the United States, he said. Responding him, the US Deputy Secretary of State Ms. Elizabeth Jones said that the allocated military assistance for both countries would be spent according to participation of them in the operations in Iraq.